As in any financial process, you first need to determine the purpose of creating an empathy map. It is important to understand why it is needed: to create a current offer for the client or to anticipate his future needs?
Or your goal is to use the data you collect about each consumer to create a general empathy map of your target audience, which can be especially useful when introducing a new product or service to the market and assessing its potential demand.
Filling out the empathy map
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Now let's move on to creating the diagram itself. Start by filling in general information about the client: last name, first name, age, profession, and a photo that can be taken from social networks. It is also important to find out what the consumer says, thinks, does, and feels.
The first section is easy to fill in through direct interaction with the customer and their statements on social media. It is important to select relevant information that connects the consumer with your product or service. To do this, it is worth asking questions when filling out each segment of the empathy map.
What you need to find out for the "Speaks" block:
What comments does the customer make about your product or similar products and services?
How does he approach making a purchase or ordering decision?
What factors are relied upon when making these decisions?
What dreams and desires torment him, what gift would he like to receive?
How does he usually deal with problems that arise?
The last two questions are quite appropriate: people buy products to solve their problems or satisfy their desires. The question about a gift is also not accidental: if the client waits for something special for a long time, he may eventually make a decision and buy it himself. This information can be a very valuable asset for your business and help increase sales.
To fill in the Sees and Hears blocks, you need to find out the following :
Where and as what does your client work?
Who makes up his environment (friends, family, colleagues)?
What living conditions surround him: where does he spend his time, what places does he prefer?
What internet and TV channels does he canada mobile number watch, what programs are he interested in?
What radio stations does he tune into and what podcasts does he listen to regularly?
What books does he read, what blogs are he interested in?
What pages and channels are you subscribed to on social networks?
What commercial offers do you encounter in your everyday life?
How does he perceive your product visually: like/dislike, beautiful/ugly, original/ordinary?
As for the "Does" block, it will be useful to know :
What exactly does he do at his job?
How does he prefer to spend his free time?
What does he do for those around him (family, friends, clients)?
What actions does he post on social networks?
What are you most proud of in your achievements?
How does he express his opinions about various events, products and services?
For the block “Thoughts and Feelings” / “Thinks and Feels” it is worth finding out the following points :
What are his ideas about your product or service?
What emotions does he experience when buying or using it?
How does he react to the process of requesting a service?
What makes him want to buy a product or use a service?
What characteristics of a product or service are most important to him?
What aspects are not of great value?
What might disappoint him about your product or service?
For the "Pain" / "Problems" block it is useful to know :
What worries him most in everyday life?
What fears overcome him?
What does he think about when he can't sleep?
What risks is he willing to take and what are not?
What reasons might make him refuse to purchase or order a service?
For the Values/Achievements block, it is important to find out :
What does he dream about and what does he strive for?
What does he need at the moment?
What steps does he take to achieve his goals and dreams?
How can your product or service help fulfill his desires?
What are the defining values in life for him?
What is he willing to give for his principles and what will he never betray?
Some aspects in filling the blocks may indeed overlap, and this is not a deviation from the norm at all. As practice shows, the average person is a rather complex and contradictory personality, sometimes not understanding what exactly he wants and changing his mind.
Where to look for information? Data can be found in personal conversations and social networks of clients. However, the most problematic is collecting reliable information about “Thoughts and Feelings”. Complex products evoke a variety of emotions and thoughts, which requires a deep analysis of the client’s interests and values.
It should be taken into account that the client's words often do not reflect his true thoughts. However, information from personal communication or social networks can tell about his views on certain issues.
Filling out the empathy map
Source: shutterstock.com
For example, few people will openly say that a product does not meet expectations. But if a customer says that they will wait for a new model to buy, this is a signal that the current version is not ideal, especially if it was previously established that the product can meet their needs and solve their problems.
Be wary if customer feedback on a popular product remains negative. This may indicate specific needs that are not being met, or frustration with redundant features that distract from the core purpose. Therefore, it is important to continue to research and understand customer needs.
It's like the famous joke about James Bond, who was unhappy with his new ballpoint pen. It had a lot of secret features, but it just couldn't write...
The same goes for creating a customer empathy map: it’s important not only to ask general questions, but also to tailor them to the unique characteristics of your business. For an accurate target audience map, you need to supplement standard models with new aspects